24 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 



No sportsman of moderate means need think his armoury 

 incomplete without one. At the same time, this enormously 

 powerful weapon is a splendid one to have if it can be afforded, 

 more especially for taking long sitting shots at fowl at ranges 

 from loo to 150 yards. 



At one time the 4-bore was more popular in single-barrel 

 form than it is at present. But the improvements made in 

 recent years in the quality of barrel steel and breech-bolt 

 actions have made it possible for double 4-bores to be pro- 

 duced weighing so much less than formerly that the second 

 barrel can be retained with the increase of only a pound or two 

 extra weight. 



And it must also be remembered that such a big gun as 

 this cannot ever be used for rapid shooting. It is a piece of 

 artillery fired from an ambuscade, and no more nor less than 

 just that. A little extra weight, therefore, does not matter 

 much, and I should strongly advise any intending purchaser of 

 a gun of this calibre to buy a two-barrelled weapon — unless, of 

 course, as sometimes happens, he can pick up a reliable single- 

 barrel second-hand at a very low cost. 



Almost any first-class gunmaker can turn out a satisfactory 

 4-bore, but three makers may be mentioned as doing so, in my 

 opinion, better than any others. These are Messrs. Greener, 

 Tolley, and Westley-Richards. 



Mr. W. W. Greener, whose colossal work The Gun has 

 often been referred to as the "sportsman's Bible," can turn out 

 as good a 4-bore as any one in England. 



He makes guns of this calibre in four styles of breech- 

 loading; (i) double-grip lever under guard, back-work lock and 

 outside hammers ; (2) the treble wedge-fast top cross-bolt out- 

 side hammers ; (3) treble wedge-fast top cross-bolt hammerless ; 

 (4) treble wedge-fast top cross-bolt hammerless ejector. This 

 last gun, though a splendid weapon, is a pure luxury. Ejector 

 mechanism is not necessary in these heavy guns, with which 



